Can't Lock Rear Wheels with Handbrake

[jtaylor]

Any car owners, accord owners, especially '08-'11 accord owners...do you have as much trouble locking the rear wheels with the handbrake as I do. I swear, even doing 30mph in a straight line and yanking on the handbrake won't lock the wheels.

Anybody have advice?

 

[oggb]

Maybe it's designed that way? Anti-"shweet DORIFTO SKILLZ".

 

[jtaylor]

hmmm, I thought about that...like maybe there's an inline spring that expands when enough pressure is applied, but I don't think honda cares that much.

 

[trooper001]

^That may be the case. I'd like to know though.

 

[oggb]

Can you adjust the e-brake? Maybe it isn't creating enough force to press against the drum (assuming yours is the style with the small drum-brake type thing in the rear.

 

[cmf]

Originally Posted By: JRed
Maybe it's designed that way? Anti-"shweet DORIFTO SKILLZ".


Yeah you nailed it.

It's a family car man, that hand brake is just a parking brake. You probably want to replace it with a hydraulic hand brake. That should solve your issues.

 

[jtaylor]

how is that done? (hydraulic e-brake)

 

[cmf]

It connects the hydraulic system for your rear brakes to the e-brake so you can put a lot more pressure on ONLY the rear brakes and not the front. You're also going to need brakes aimed at stopping (which you probably already have).

It's not a terribly difficult modification and definitely not an expensive one. One thing to note though, you have no wire e-brake after the conversion, just the hydraulic one. So if you lose brakes, you've lost any hope of stopping. If your car is manual it isn't an issue because you can just use the gears to slow down. The pedal will still apply front and rear brakes.

 

[jtaylor]

well, that sounds awesome. ill try adjusting it first to see if thats the problem. I've already got EBC Bluestuff pads and slotted rotors, which are supposed to be full race type brakes.

 

[cmf]

Yeah it is pretty nice. It's really hard to get the wheels to lock up with the cable ones that come default. Especially since you're trying to drive and do it at the same time. What can also help is having a longer e-brake handle for more leverage, but it's hard to do that and keep it looking even remotely stock. "What's that huge pipe in between us?" "Oh that's just my e-brake."

I figured you had some nice brakes. Just wanted to make sure because it's harder than you'd think to lock up wheels.

 

[eljefino]

Just tap the service brake at the beginning of your fake drift while yanking the hand brake. Once locked the rear wheels won't need as much holding force.

True story, I would hit the pedal operated e-brake in my buick century in the snow, while also applying regular ABS brakes, and would freak the car out so much it'd light the ABS and TRAC OFF lights until the next key cycle.

 

[tom slick]

Does it lock up the brakes when the vehicle is parked? That's the only function of the "Parking Brake".

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
Does it lock up the brakes when the vehicle is parked? That's the only function of the "Parking Brake".


Agreed. It should hold it on a hill.

 

[Eddie]

i NEVER HAD A CAR BUILT AFTER 1975? THAT WOULD LOCK THE REAR WHEELS. I THINK THE "EMERGENCY BRAKE" became a parking brake when they moved to dual braking systems. Ops sorry about the caps but, the day has been long. Ed

 

[eljefino]

^ You never had a chevy citation.

There's some law that the e-brake has to hold on the steepest grade road in the country, somewhere in San Fransisco.

GM had a cheezy e-brake system that wouldn't hold the rear axle, so they just stuck some really sticky brake shoes in at the 11th hour.

The e-brake held, but the poor service brakes were always locking up the rears first.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ You never had a chevy citation.

There's some law that the e-brake has to hold on the steepest grade road in the country, somewhere in San Fransisco.

GM had a cheezy e-brake system that wouldn't hold the rear axle, so they just stuck some really sticky brake shoes in at the 11th hour.

The e-brake held, but the poor service brakes were always locking up the rears first.

Gm cars that I knew have done that for years and years.
I was in a Sunfire not that long ago with heavy rear brake bias. It was maybe a late 90's model.
I remember my folks old 86 Celebrity that had the same problem.
I hated GM brakes for quite a long time until I had a Saturn (they worked fine aside from easily seizing caliper slides)

 

[sciphi]

Our Honda kicks in the ABS and beeps at you when yanking the e-brake at speed. It has drums that were adjusted maybe 4-5k miles ago. I tried that over the winter on a very snowy road, and got the tail out only with considerable effort between the nannies and the snow tires.

Our Buick can lock the rear drums when mashing the pedal driving in Reverse quickly on a loose gravel road. No fancy multi-channel ABS or EBD on that car.

 

[jtaylor]

It does hold it on a hill, but only when I really give it a yank.

Btw my 96 camry could easily lock the rear tires (yes they are [censored] tires), until I snapped the cable from tightening then loosening it too much.

 

[Stu_Rock]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ You never had a chevy citation.
...
The e-brake held, but the poor service brakes were always locking up the rears first.

Gm cars that I knew have done that for years and years.
My old 1995 Century wagon could lock up the rear drum brakes with the parking brake pedal. Hydraulic brake bias was fine, though. It was a very controllable car on slippery surfaces.

My 2005 Park Avenue cannot lock its rear disc brakes with the cable, though. Hydraulic brake bias also seems fine.

Now you guys have me curious. I will check my 1984 Peugeot and 1998 Dodge van (both drum brakes).

 

[Steve S]

See if the cable is adjustable.